A Ride of Skies
by Kuno12
Summary: As a Rluni noblewoman of the ruling family, House Gyatso, Jinora knows her duties. However, she does not have to like them. Residing in her family's ancestral seat of Miao Cheng, Jinora dreads her arranged marriage to the new khal of a powerful kalasar her country has shared their lands with for generations. The khal, however, is not at all what she expected. Game of Thrones AU.
1. Intrigue

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 **Intrigue**

* * *

"Jinora, the khal was actually very gracious to want to spend time with you before we ironed out the marriage details. That happens to be a lot of leeway. Would it kill you to be a little grateful?"

"Wow, he wants to see my face before we get married. I'm so overwhelmed by his graciousness..."

Catching her mother's eye in the mirror, Jinora silenced her muttering and just sat still, letting her mother finish brushing. She felt the bristles riddle down her back as they passed through her locks from her crown to her waist and then back again. It was all she had to concentrate on in the moment.

"Sweetheart, it's not that bad," said her mother, putting the brush down and combing through Jinora's hair with her fingers. She was firm though not unkind. "The khal wanting to see you before actually marrying is still a good sign."

"It means he wants to decide if he thinks I'm beautiful enough to be his wife," said Jinora, staring despondently into the mirror as her mother tucked a shimmering lotus broach into the single bun adoring the side of her head. She tried not to frown bitterly. "Or attractive enough to be a bedslave."

"Jinora, please." Her mother sighed. "He's a good match for you. Lord of a powerful kalasar, strong, very healthy from what I hear... and he's just about your age. This is a match other girls and their families might have been crawling over each other to have."

" _Might_ _,_ " said Jinora firmly. "I find it hard to believe that most girls would be interested in a man who killed his own father to be that powerful lord."

Her mother sighed.

"And after all those books you had your nose buried in it never occurred to you that other peoples have other ways of looking at things."

"Murder's still murder." Jinora tugged on the sleeves of her robes irritably. Raava curse it all, why did she have to be wearing so many of them? Was it really all that necessary for the ceremony?

"Not to the Dothraki," Her mother said with finality and stood up. "Speaking of which, they should be arriving soon. Let's hurry now. We don't want to keep them waiting."

Jinora resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"The same way they make us wait?" she almost spat.

Her mother seemed to ignore that.

"Our relationship with them may be a great one, but we are still two peoples. The Dothraki do things on their own time and we do the same with others, but they honor their word and that very much counts for something... and darling?"

Jinora sighed.

"Yes, mother?"

"Whatever you do, please, be polite."

She bit the inside of her cheek. "I always am."

-:-:-:-:-

The sound of distant galloping didn't make the day any less sweltering and it certainly didn't make Jinora want to curse their Dothraki visitors any less. She was standing outside with her family in the courtyard, surrounded by a small crowd of subjects, dressed in _way_ too many robes for the time of year and expected to be patient when their guests had been making them wait longer than she could hardly abide. In a less formal occasion she might have been forgiving, but for all the fuss everybody had been making about this she expected it to be treated with the utmost importance and have everybody be on time.

Of course, that was all of her irritation talking. Irritation at what she was wearing, the weather... her so-called good match and how she didn't _want_ to be his queen. Why would she want to be the queen of a man she knew could never respect her? She'd met many men of many lands and ranks and if there was anything common about the lot of them it was a lack of respect for their own mothers let alone their wives. She'd always dreamed of being able to choose her own husband. A man who loved books as much as she did and cared to know what was swirling around in her head for all the right reasons. Wanted to know what was there because, just maybe, she might be as fascinating as he fantasized...

Being desired was not the issue. _Why_ she was being desired was the problem here.

And what's more was that her father had never truly talked to her about a husband. Eventually, she'd figured that Ikki, who was betrothed to an older son of the Beifong family, would suffice and their relationship with The Kalasar on The Soaring Plains would be well enough that she needn't get involved.

But no.

Her father had brought it up over a casual conversation at dinner and they'd talked about it more in depth together with her mother. Of course, Jinora had agreed to meet the man if only to please her parents. They seemed to really be pushing this on her and she hated the idea of disappointing them.

So, here she was. Most of her regretting the decision in the heat and wishing she'd just explained to her parents why she was so reluctant. Then again, what good would that have done? At some point, they would have just laid down the law that she was the daughter and they would be making the final decision. She, would just have to "broaden her horizons" about the matter because that was what was best for her...

The galloping became louder and Jinora damned herself for her heartbeat doing the same. Why was she so nervous? She never cared what the last khal thought of her and she certainly wouldn't care what this new one would think of her either.

Husband or not, she mentally asserted.

The hooves were like thunder as four horses rode into the courtyard. The first rider she laid her eyes on was most obviously the khal. With the longest braid he was the easiest to spot, but even then it was simply because he was the most imposing. Clearly very strong and battle ridden, he bore several small scars across his body with the largest and most noticeable being the jagged one on his chest. The top of his hair did an odd thing where it was messy but underneath was where it smoothed out, the sides shaved, and his ponytail tied at the base of his skull.

Being very familiar with the Dothraki over their years of mutual diplomacy, Jinora knew the three behind the khal were probably his bloodriders. His _dothrakiquoy_ , she reminded herself. She liked to think of them as his kingsguard except more like brothers and less like subjects or servants as she'd seen in societies such as her own. If anything, one of them looked like they might even _actually_ be related.

The khal turned to look down at them, his eyes flicking over in her direction briefly and she caught the color of deep green as her father graciously opened his arms and took a step forward.

"Atchomar chomakaan, zhey khal vezhven," he said to the horseman with a small graceful bow.

Respect to one who is respectful, great khal, Jinora recited mentally, a habit she'd formed out of her years spent mastering her hand at Dothraki. It was not the only language she spoke, but it was very much one of the more important ones she had to learn. Ceremonies like this being part of the better reasons why.

She bitterly resisted the urge to snort. _Respect_. As if the khal was going to show a mutual display of respect. Khal Sokhan had never been so generous. Suddenly, their new khal, his _son_ for the matter was supposed to be much different?

"Khal Kai," said her father, now in the common tongue. "It is a pleasure to have you here in our capitol city of Miao Cheng. The people of Rlun welcome you."

Just as she got back into her own head, Khal Kai bowed his head just as gracefully and dismounted. Jinora frowned. What was he playing at? No khal dismounted in the presence of a foreigner. At least not at a ceremony like this. Khal Sokhan had never done so courteous and Khal Rukko only did so because he was friends with her grandfather.

But _this_ man looked no much older than herself.

"Atchomar Chomakaan," said Khal Kai simply, standing face to face with her father.

Her father, taking the greeting with a curt nod, turned and gestured toward her and her family with an arm, beginning to rattle off each of them in the common tongue.. Khal Kai looked at each of them, resting his eyes on her the longest. Getting a better look at him, Jinora noted the patch of hair under lips and on his chin. She noted the deep green of his eyes and the dark copper of his skin. She noted the way he moved as he and her father walked toward them. She noted the way he commanded a presence by doing nothing but simply existing.

And she wished she'd quit noting all of these things because it was making it very difficult for her to look threatening when they finally reached her.

"...and as you may have guessed this is my eldest daughter, Jinora of House Gyatso." Her father gestured for her to come forward. She did – reluctantly – and stood straight faced in front of the khal. She wanted him to know just how _resistant_ to this she was. As much of a first impression as he was seemingly making, she still didn't really care to deal with him.

Murder was still murder, she reminded herself.

Neither of them said anything for a moment, Khal Kai's face blank as he surveyed her. Her own face, surely, had a frown etched onto it. When their eyes met, she saw an enigma. Would she know what he was thinking in ten years time? She didn't even ask if this marriage was going through. What better diplomatic marriage would she have than this? As much as she didn't like the idea, it'd be the work of a fool to turn it down. Even if she had her own reasons, she'd be a moron to think they were valid in the spirit of why they were doing this.

"Marriage is for love, yes," her mother told her once. "But among nobles it's for the love of family and for the love of nation before all else. Love for oneself is a spoil few of us ever receive the way your father and I found."

Marrrying him is good for the family. It's good for our country, she mentally sighed, steeling herself. It'll keep our ties strong. I can do this. Just because I marry him doesn't mean I'll be less than I am now.

"Do you speak the common tongue?" she asked finally, quietly. From the way her father kept on speaking to him in it, she had wondered.

Khal Kai nodded at her though he didn't say anything.

So, he did understand her. That was a relief. As fluent as she was in Dothraki, him knowing the common tongue wouldn't make her feel so isolated. They could understand each other rather than she having to work to understand him.

"Will you take a ride with me?" sked Khal Kai in Dothraki.

No, she told him mentally.

Despite what her mind was saying, she nodded. As he turned away to walk back to his horse, her father gestured for her to follow encouragingly. Biting her tongue a little, she followed, feeling as if she were being handed away in chains.

-:-:-:-

She and the khal rode in relative silence for a good part of the way. He had nothing to say it seemed and that was just fine with her. It wasn't like she had anything to say either. In fact, she wanted to pretend like she was having a nice, casual ride through her family's countryside. They rode along a large open space, her own guard and his _dothrakiquoy_ riding behind at a respectable distance. He didn't say anything and she didn't look at him. Quite frankly, the blue skies were a lot more interesting than he was to her at the moment.

"Are you always this silent?" he finally asked in the common tongue.

Jinora looked at him, probably scowling.

"I speak your language," she said in Dothraki. "You don't have to speak in the common tongue just for me."

"Okay, then," he said, switching back to Dothraki for her. "Are you always this silent?"

Her grip on the reins tightened.

 _"_ _Vos_ _,"_ she said pointedly. Of course she wasn't usually this silent. She was just this silent right _now_. "I just don't have much to say. What did you want to talk about?"

"You," he said.

Okay, she had to admit, that she liked the way he talked. Something about the way he rolled his r's in the common tongue and his own language made him easier to listen to. It wasn't exactly uncommon to listen to noblemen go on and on about themselves and have the most annoying voice while they were at it. It was usually then she wished she couldn't understand them.

"What did you want to know about me?"

When he didn't answer her right away she still didn't look at him, instead, keeping her eyes focused on a pair of birds flying through the sky.

Nothing to say? she wondered.

That was fine with her. The less he talked the better.

"How many languages do you speak?"

She turned to him with a small frown, almost pulling back on her reins. What kind of question was that? A valid one in hindsight, but she hadn't expected him to ask her that.

"Why do you care how many languages I speak?"

He didn't answer her again, but this time she got a good look at his face. His eyes were focused directly on hers, but he looked neither taken aback nor upset. If anything, his face was as stony as her own as well. For a moment, she wondered if he was playing her game... not that she considered this a game, but there was something in the way that he looked at her that said 'I'm not scared of you' and she raised her eyebrows slightly.

" _Tor_ ," she said, holding up four fingers and turning away from him. "Fluently that is. Rluni is my mother tongue, the common tongue, Dothraki and Tunese. I'm working on Hinokokuan and Imaqiat."

He went back into silence again and they rode for what seemed like forever just like that...

It was driving her mad. Now, as hard as she tried not to, she kept on casually taking glances in his direction. Their exchange was brief, but... interesting to say the least. He'd begrudgingly piqued her interest and she wanted to know what else he wanted to know.

Damn him, she huffed to herself. I don't want to care what he wants to know about what I want to know. I just want to know what I know and let him wonder about what he wants to know. I don't want anybody to know anything.

She didn't like this. Why did he have to be so different? Men usually enjoyed talking about themselves to her.

But Khal Kai didn't say a thing until he damn well pleased.

She shook her head, not liking the questionable nature of that last thought. On that note, she glanced in his direction again. He was looking ahead, as casual as she was and she couldn't help but be reminded that he was a king from the way in which he rode his horse. His technique was rather effortless yet, effective. Being bare-chested was definitely the better choice as well...

Jinora almost bit her tongue.

Since he wasn't wearing armor, she told herself diplomatically. Being bare-chested was better without all that armor to slow down his steed.

She immediately looked ahead, doing her very best to contemplate the clear blue sky. Too nice of a day not to think about it.

This wore on throughout the entire ride. As their time was close to ending, she tried not to scowl. Why would you just ask one question? She didn't know what to ask him. Not that she _wanted_ to ask any questions, but it was... proper. And he'd gotten to ask her one.

Damn it. She felt like a pouting child.

"Did you want to ask me anything else?" she asked in Dothraki. They were nearing the courtyard gates and the urge was nearly leaping out of her she could no longer contain it.

" _Sek_ ," he said, nodding and actually rode around in front of her. She raised her eyebrow at him.

What was he playing at _now_?

Frowning, she slowed her horse to a stop.

"Yes?" she repeated after him, this time inquiring.

"If you were to base whether or not you'd marry me on the one question I asked you earlier, would you marry me?" he asked, eyes boring into hers.

She froze for a moment, but... actually thought about it. Based off the one question he had asked her? He had only asked her how many languages she spoke, but it was a question she didn't mind answering.

In fact – Raava, help her why was she admitting this even to herself – she wouldn't have minded talking about it more had she known what to really say to him.

They stayed like that for just a moment, beginning to ride in somewhat of a circle, but his eyes never left hers and she couldn't look away.

Finally, he broke the circle and began riding toward the gate once more. Jinora let out a breath, slightly disturbed that she had been holding it in the first place.

"Then consider that a formal proposal," he said and, as he turned away, she swore she caught the faint, yet surest curve of a smile.

She opened her mouth to say something after him, but found that she couldn't say anything. What _did_ she say to that?

What did she say to that when she no longer exactly wanted to say no?

The two of them didn't speak to each other again as the brief farewell ceremony finished, merely looking at each other once more when he'd climbed his horse.

When Khal Kai left, Jinora wasn't surprised as her parents turned to her. Before they could say anything, however, she beat them to it.

"I'll marry him," she said firmly.

Her father blinked, beginning to stroke his beard, and her mother shook her head.

"Just like that?" he asked, trading looks with her mother. "Nothing to say otherwise? No criticisms? No concerns? It's alright to talk about something you might be worried about."

"Are you sure, dear?" asked her mother.

Jinora nodded confidently.

Her father raised an eyebrow.

"...What happened?"

Jinora took a moment to think about it. What had happened exactly? She couldn't exactly explain it in proper words.

"He just asked the right question," she told them simply. At this point, she was willing to admit he was an interesting man if nothing else.

She wanted him to ask more.

* * *

Whoo, new kainora fic!

Since, What's Done in the Dark is ending soon I thought this would be a fine time to start my new kainora project. This chapter turned out to be pretty fun to write, but one of the biggest balancing acts was (and is going to be) is the language thing. I hope you guys were able to clearly understand where the language swtiches were. I mean, the good thing about writing fanfiction is I can tell you that usually Kai and Jinora will be speaking on Dothraki to each other. I mean, I'm going to relay that in text anyway, but I do hope those language switches were clear.

This chapter wasn't super long in perfect honesty, but I think it covered the initial stuff I wanted to cover. This world (fused with the Avatar world of course) is different in the sense that the four nations don't have their traditional names. I'll cover it more later in the fic and on my tumblr, but I did rattle them off when Jinora was talking about language so, in short Air Nation now is Rlun, Fire Nation is Hinokoku, Earth Kingdom is Tu and The Water Tribes are Imaq. This world has different names for things, but hopefully I can get a map out on my tumblr real soon.

On that note, I love it when you guys drop those reviews! They really keep me motivated and get me writing the next chapter faster and I appreciate every word even if you just have something to point out! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	2. The Life of a Noble

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

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 **The Life of a Noble  
**

* * *

Jinora scowled fiercely at her father and he sighed.

"Now, now don't look at me like that," he said, putting his hands up defensively. "He's only an escort and he says he'd like be among the Dothraki with you. Learn their ways. Think of it as a formal entourage."

She rubbed the bridge of her nose, sighing and put her book down on her father's desk.

"I don't _need_ a formal entourage. Father, please..." She cringed. "Tsering Shuixian? His family are good people, but he..."

Her father smiled painfully, nodding in acknowledgment.

She huffed.

"You just want to get rid of him."

"Of course not," he said. "I am earnestly just granting his request. Jinora, I promise, this was not my doing."

She plopped herself down in her father's study chair and sighed heavily. Tsering of House Suixian was one of the last people she wanted to accompany her anywhere. For anything. Goddess of light help her why did it have to be _Tsering_ of all people.

He was more than an annoyance or a pest. He... he _disgusted_ her. Scared her even in certain ways. Tsering was the debauchery villain of tales that always seemed at a distance to the heroine. The lewd scoundrel who was scarier than any conqueror because he was personal.

And Jinora knew that first hand.

She wasn't entirely concerned considering she was going to be the wife of a powerful man in both rank and physique. Protection was not a problem. However, that did not mean that she wanted him anywhere near her.

Sighing heavily, she dragged herself out of her father's study room.

"I'm going to the library," she said glumly.

"Alright, dear... I'm sorry. If I had known you would be this upset about it I would have turned him down," said her father gently. "You know I don't choose to upset you on purpose. I would even reverse it now, but I can't really afford to rattle my ties with his house..."

Jinora stopped at the door and smiled reassuringly.

"I know. It's not you're fault. Just the life of a noble sometimes, right?"

Her father nodded wryly and she waved to him as she left. Of course she knew her father wasn't making this difficult on purpose. She knew he wanted her to be happy even if it couldn't be every day.

She left for the library on a horse and with guards. By now, she was used to a couple guards accompanying when she went out. It was, after all, their lifestyle. As were marriages one didn't ask for and necessary adaptions to such changes in life.

Of course, she was thinking about her future husband, the khal.

He was attractive. She was going to give him that much. His eyes were a wonderful deep green and she could probably get used to that. Yet, at the same time he was also some kind of interesting. Whether that was for worse or for better she would have to find out, but it was something to hold onto. The man was clearly not a dull one and it was infuriatingly entrancing. Her curiosity getting the better of her was, to be frank, probably why she'd agreed to marry him in the first place.

He was that tall, mysterious, handsome stranger that she read about in some of her favorite novels and it was irritating to say the least. She didn't _want_ him to be that. A part of her wanted him to be predictable. Someone she knew how to deal with on a day to day basis. On the other hand, another part of her liked the mystery of him. The way he made her want to know more...

With that in mind, being interesting was going to have to be enough to get her through this. She was still trying to come to terms with the fact that she'd be leaving her family.

Her friends.

Her home...

She was going to have to say goodbye to Miao Cheng. In hindsight, she wasn't moving terribly far. Only a few days ride in fact from where they resided in The Soaring Plans and on the cusp of the next region over, but still. It was sad to think that so many of the people she loved were going to be at a distance now only to be reached by ink and parchment.

But... again, she supposed this was the life of a noble. This is what they did. This was her life.

Her father once told her that gold was cold. It was valuable, but still only a metal. Dirt was rich with life and free to choose what fruits it would bear, yet, we as people considered it lowly and undeserving of prestige.

She had to agree with her father that classes were funny like that. As were people.

Despite that, it saddened her to think about the fact that she was happy with her life here and how soon it was that she would have to say goodbye to it.

She was willing to adapt, but Raava... why did adapting have to ache so much?

Determined the keep those thoughts at bay, Jinora arrived at the library and ordered her guards to stay near the entrance instead of following her deeper inside. She desired the solitude of the inner corners of the library where lesser known books were kept and she could simply be alone to distract her thoughts.

Around she wandered and wandered, taking her time to simply enjoy the smell of old and new parchment and the small excitement of so many stories around her. After taking time to read from a stumbled upon poetry book, she recognized an old favorite of hers from the top shelf. She reached for it, skimming her finger along the spine as she pulled it out.

She had just about grabbed it out of it's place when she suddenly felt someone wrap themselves around her from behind. Her elbow came up instantly in a panic and right into the stranger's ribcage, using their rebuff to scramble away.

Holding the book tight at her chest, Jinora came face to face with fair skin, brown eyes and dark hair against a tall physique. He smiled at her charmingly, lightly, as if he'd had just played a practical joke on her and she was supposed to have found it funny.

"What in all the hells are you doing, Tsering?" she asked him viciously although she knew exactly what he'd been doing.

"I'm _jesting_ , Jinora," he said, laughing and reached out for her, but she smacked his hand away. "Don't you know how to have a laugh?"

"Not when I don't find it funny. Don't _touch_ me. How many times do I have to tell you tht? 'll-"

"-you will ask for me if you need me. Yes, I know." said Tsering, coming closer again. "Come now, is it so hard to look a little happy to see me?"

"It's impossible," she said coldly.

He sighed.

"You know, there was a time when seeing me would make you smile. Blush a little even... oh, come now, don't be like that. I'm only trying to help you see what you need."

"I beg your pardon?" she asked, taking a step back when he kept coming to her, blanching as her back hit the book shelf. "I think I know what I need and it's for you to not come any closer before I call the guards."

"See, this is the problem. As a woman, you have a hard time seeing the bigger picture. You don't..." He made a gesture as if trying to come up with the right words. She hunched when he put a hand on her shoulder. "...ah, well, you don't put all the pieces together. Have a little sympathy for me. You're extraordinarily beautiful. Can I really help myself?"

"You'd better," she said fiercely, but her voice shook when she felt his hand come down her arm. "And quit trying to flatter me. You're terrible at it."

"You're funny. Now, I've been looking all over for you. There were some things we needed to discuss..." He smiled, now putting his hands on both her elbows and holding her firmly. His grip tightened and she felt her heartbeat stall as he brought his mouth down to her ear. "Why, oh why, would you ever intend to marry that savage? And without even saying a word to me? You knew how much I'd dislike that, darling."

When he dug his nails into the cloth over her skin, she jerked her head away from him, feeling dirty with his breath all over her neck like that.

This shouldn't still be happening, Jinora reprimanded herself. Why am I letting this happen to me?

"You don't _own_ me. I'm not your anything. I've never _been_ your anything. Now, let me go already before I scream."

"I'm fine with that," he said quietly, shrugging and roughly grabbed her by her face. He observed her for a moment. "I can even help you with that."

Letting out a breath, Jinora wanted to cry. She absolutely refused to break in front of this sorry excuse for a man, but it was still... humiliating. Shameful. What had turned into an innocent fancy at one point in time with him... how had it turned omto this? If she'd just tell her family, this would be taken care of swiftly. His hands, let alone his eyes, would never reach her again.

"What did I ever do to you?" she asked him before she could stop herself.

Of course, she knew the answer to that too. _Rejection_ was the answer. And, as retribution, he threatened her with vicious lies. Lies he'd had help fabricating by using his family's spies planted in her own household. Women who'd gotten a good look at her body in years time and had relayed to him a detailed map of her flesh.

He'd never seen her body, but with him this close and eyes so menacing she felt like he had... and he would tell the whole world what he knew of her body...

Then where would her reputation be...?

She shouldn't have cared. She should have spit in his face when he'd initially threatened her, but she couldn't. All of it be damned, she _did_ care and he used that to toy with her as he saw fit.

Now, looking in his eyes and remembering the discomfort she'd felt in the presence of her own servants because of him, part of her was now growing a little happy she was leaving, If only he would stay behind and leave her to her own devices as well.

Still, that didn't resolve the issue of her reputation and the way Tsering held it over a fire. If she ever came to be known as his plaything in any way – no matter how untrue it was – her family would be shamed for it. She would be dishonored for it and her name would be a black stain on their tapestry in history. It would start with one lie, then another, then another and another until she was the laughing stock even of brothels.

That wasn't something she could let happen either.

She knew how these things worked. She knew the world of nobles and the risks and rules they had to abide by.

Because this was the life of a _noblewoman._ Her reputation was, in many ways, all she had.

Jinora had learned that and come to passively accept it. Like a thinned out hole on the steel veil she wore to the world. When she thought of it, it made her feel small again.

Yet, at the same time, right now she felt a fire. A fire of fear, yes, but also a fire of defiance.

"And he is not a savage. Don't be ignorant. He's a Dothraki khal and-"

"He's a lord of savages," laughed Tsering flippantly.

"He's probably worth more than a thousand of you," she shot back. "Now _unhand_ me!"

This time, she jerked free of his grip and his disgusting presence. She hated the way he touched her. The way he felt so comfortable putting his mouth anywhere _near_ her.

"You fancy him?"

"I like him a lot better than you," growled Jinora. "Now, what do you want? Just to flaunt your perceived superiority now that you hear I'm getting married? And what's this I hear you're going to be coming with me? You're mad if you think any of _this_ is going to be going on. Tell me what you need and be quick about it."

"I'm not allowed to see you when I feel like it?" he asked casually.

Jinora, feeling a little braver, walked up enough to spit at his feet.

"Don't push your luck with me. We have leverage on each other. Remember that as long as the blood of House Gyatso runs in my veins I have power over you. _Your_ house is a vassal of _my_ house. Do not ever think I won't have my breaking point."

Now, he got closer to her too, a less charming look in his face.

"If you'd only let me have you. Then nobody would have to break anything."

Looking him in the eye, Jinora frowned and nearly spit in his face this time.

" _Never_."

And with that she turned on her heel and left, leaving her book behind half put away on the shelf.

-:-:-:-

That night, Jinora stood out her balcony looking up at the stars and enjoying the breeze. She wanted to relax, feeling tense from her encounter with Tsering and just generally wanting to be alone with her thoughts. The castle was awfully big as it was, styled like the air temples of old from the outside, but being very much livable for a prestigious family inside. There were many spaces to actually get away from the servants and her family, yet her room was the place she felt the most comfortable.

All of her books, her things and personal objects she wished to take with her would be brought to Khal Kai's palace in Vaes Najahheya.

His room.

She didn't shudder, having known full well what was to come besides the wedding. They would have to produce children. Sons more preferably for Khal Kai probably. Less favorable omens put females along with the stillborn and the disabled. Here, she found herself struggling again to feel better about this arrangement. It wasn't like she was just marrying a man. She was marrying a _culture_.

A culture notorious for their violent and less savory behaviors.

Easing herself back into her room with those thoughts on the forefront of her mind, she walked over to her bookshelf and pulled out _Rlun: Kingdom on the North Plains_. She flipped through several chapters, coming to the pages detailing the peoples who lived in their region of the continent.

Finding what she was looking for, she skimmed down the page with a finger.

"The Dothraki are a nomadic people. Divided as rival war clans, the hordes raid and pillage for their livelihood," she read, skimming a few paragraphs down. "...their sense of shame is different than what is common in many cultures and privacy is hardly of value."

Jinora pursed her lips and read on about how they kept slaves, mated like animals in heat and would leave deformed or crippled infants behind as they traveled.

It... it honestly made her want to cry.

Where had her life gone? Stuck between marrying into a violent culture and stay home with a man who thought he owned her. Not that getting out of marrying the khal was an option, but the crossroads were so bleak and dark. Was she going to forever be uncomfortable in her own home?

There was a knock at the door and Jinora almost dropped her book, having been yanked out of her thoughts.

"Yes?"

"It's just me," called her mother, coming in as she said it. "I just have something for you."

"For me?" blinked Jinora. "You got me something?"

Her mother smiled gently at her, pulling a small novel from behind her back as she closed the door.

"I did. Or well, I already have it, but..." began her mother, sighing. She handed Jinora the book and Jinora couldn't help but smile at it. It was an old book she used to love as a child about a princess and a horse she found and took care of. "You remember this, don't you? It was your favorite growing up. I just wanted you to have it... for your own children."

When Jinora looked up, she could see her mother's eyes over bright and it made Jinora pull her into a hug.

"Mother, don't cry," soothed Jinora. "It's going to be okay. I'm sure I'm going to see you..."

If he lets me, Jinora tried and failed not to think.

"It's a wedding, not a funeral, but I can't help but feel a little sad. Seems like only yesterday you were a little girl talking to me about how you'd get married one day. Now, here you are doing it... I know it's not exactly your ideal way of doing it, but I still want you to know how proud I am of you... you've grown up so well."

Jinora smiled sheepishly as they pulled back.

"Well, I have you and father to thank for that," she said. "I'm glad you're happy."

"And we wish for you to be to no end," said her mother. "... tell me. What do you think of your husband-to-be? I want to know. I want you to let it out."

Slightly stunned at that, Jinora opened her mouth to speak then closed it again. For a moment, she simply sat there, gathering her thoughts and trying to really go through all the different emotions she was feeling about the arrangement.

She sighed.

"I'm scared," said Jinora. "I'm scared that he's going to be a terrible person and that I'm not going to get used to their culture. I'm glad I'm doing something new and finding a new home and trying out new things. I'm sad because I don't exactly want to leave you all."

"But that didn't answer my question. I asked you what you think of Khal Kai. It's okay to say so sweetheart."

Jinora shook her head.

"He's... I don't know. He's alright. Well, more than alright I guess... it's hard to have an opinion on him right now. I'm... intrigued. I have one, but it's pretty neutral. I want to know more. I really do. My opinion isn't exactly good or bad. It's just curious."

Her mother smiled.

"That's wonderful."

"Wonderful?" she asked. It was better than horrible, but she wasn't sure if it was wonderful. "That's a pretty strong term, mother..."

"Dear, there are men who show their true colors even before commitment. Call it parent's intuition, but I think he's an honest kind. Jinora, as your mother, I want nothing more than for you to spend the rest of your life with someone who's going to treat you right and love you. At the very least, Khal Kai seems like the kind who's going to be good for you in those things. I really feel it. Don't you?"

Jinora shrugged. She couldn't – wouldn't – make any assumptions.

"You're not disagreeing," said her mother.

"I guess. I can't really say, but if there's one thing mostly certain is that I will probably have to have his children. If all goes well. That book is going to come in handy when I do," said Jinora quietly.

"Darling... know that if _anything,_ you're going to love the children he ends up giving you. No matter what. I know I sound like I'm rambling, but I just always want you to find the bright side of things. Don't fall into despair. Don't be sad. Find things. Make friends. Love your children. Yes, it's an arranged marriage, but don't let it be the end of your life. It's only the beginning. Even if you don't end up loving him, find things to love _because_ you have to be with him. Whatever you do, don't let anything poison you. Be kind when you have to be kind. Be strong when you have to be strong. Be both. Promise me you're going to be the strong young lady you are today... promise me."

Staring at her mother with a soft smile, Jinora reached out to grabbed he hand, squeezing it and soothing the shaking in her mother's voice.

"I promise."

That night, as she closed her eyes, Jinora promised herself the same thing.

-:-:-:-

The days afterward saw Jinora trying to spend time with as many people she'd miss as possible. Outside of her family, her friends Kumi of House Yumai and another girl named Padma were two friends she'd miss seeing on a day to day basis. Padma was a lower born girl who worked in her family's household, but Jinora's family always made sure that Padma and her family were also doing well. Kumi's family was a vassal under Jinora's and the two had gotten to know each other over the years. Admittedly, Jinora didn't have a very large ring of real friends, but these girls were two of the few she had.

"Well, at least you'll travel a lot," said Kumi kindly. "A lot of girls can't really say the same."

Jinora tried to smile.

"I suppose..."

Padma scooted closer to both girls, smiling sweetly.

"He's also attractive, didn't you say? A lot of girls can't say that either. You really did get the luck of the draw in a lot of ways. And I'm sure you'll be able to write to us and all the people you want."

"That's if he _lets_ me. What if he's, y'know... _that_ kind?"

Like Tsering, Jinora thought miserably.

Kumi and Padma shared looks.

"I guess there's no way to know that... but you can still hope, can't you?" asked Kumi.

Jinora sighed.

"I guess, but... I'm just going to miss everyone. You guys and just... I wish at least someone could come with me. I mean, someone I _like,_ " she said bitterly, then went on. "I just feel like I'm going to be utterly friendless out there."

"I'm sure that you'll make friends," said Padma soothingly. "Don't dread this so much."

"It's hard _not_ to though. I didn't even really choose him. He just happened."

Then again, she didn't forget her brief conversation with Khal Kai when they went out riding. It'd been a stranger gesture, but his "formal proposal" seemed to her like he wanted to make her comfortable. Which was nice. She wasn't going to use that as contrary evidence for all her worries, but it was still a personal polite gesture and that much she could appreciate.

"Write to us them," said Kumi. "Every day. Write all the time even if you don't send them off. Just... when you're upset. If he hurts you. Write us... that way, if we don't hear from you we know you're doing okay..."

As Kumi's eyes turned downcast, Jinora blinked at her, staring, and pulled both girls into her arms.

"I'm going to write for more reasons than that," said Jinora quietly. "I'm not going to forget you. Don't worry. I might not write as frequently as we all would wish, but you're going to be in my thoughts."

The three girls shared a hug right there in the gardens. As they pulled away, a man dressed in the dark red and orange servants attire came up to them, respectfully bowing toward Jinora and Kumi when he approached them.

"Forgive my interruption, my lady," he said to Jinora specifically, nodding toward Kumi in acknowledgment. "But there is something waiting for you out in the courtyard. A gift."

"A gift?" asked Jinora, frowning slightly. "From who?"

"I was told it was a gift from Khal Kai. A Dothraki rider waits outside with it."

Unsure of what else to say, she looked at Kumi and Padma, Padma smiling giddily when she'd heard the term 'gift'.

"I wonder what it is," Padma whispered excitedly.

"Let's go find out," said Kumi, nudging them both along before Jinora could really say anything.

They followed the servant out of the gardens and around the palace grounds until they reached the courtyard. Upon arriving at the courtyard, they were met by one of the khal's _dothrakiquoy_ – the one who looked like they could be related to him – riding on a horse with the reins of a young horse in his hand.

Slightly speechless, Jinora carefully approached the horse, glancing up at the rider for assurance. He nodded silently and even seemed to smile a little.

"She is very young," said the rider in Dothraki. "Not even four years. A _vado_. The khal sends her to you."

"A gift for me?" she asked in Dothraki.

The rider nodded, handing her over the reins. Carefully and gently, Jinora rubbed down the filly's back and ran her fingers through the horse's mane. The filly was a beautiful horse of a gorgeous shade, a color as if just dusted with the lightest brown and a dark wavy mane with dark tufts growing around her hooves.

The filly nudged her gently when Jinora brought her hand down the horse's neck and it made her smile.

"Does she have a name?" asked Jinora, rubbing down the filly's forehead ever so lightly.

"We do not give our horses names like your people do," said the rider, turning his horse to leave. "But the khal says you may. He would like to hear what you have thought of the next time you meet."

With that, the rider left and Jinora only looked after him before turning back to her new horse.

Admittedly delighted, she rubbed down the horse some more and looked at her two friends with a genuine smile on her face.

"Isn't she beautiful?' asked Jinora, mesmerized but the filly's gorgeous color and coat.

Her friends nodded, also gently rubbing down the mare.

"What are you going to name her?

Jinora only stared into the filly's coat color, reminded of the gentle snow mornings in the winter, yet also the calm spring mornings. She thought of the peace of waking up in her bed and looking out to see the soft sky. Even though the filly's color was nothing like a blue sky, she thought of the calm and contentment of waking up to a new day in the safety of your own abode.

It would sound funny though if she named the filly morning. In her own language and the common language it didn't have a nice ring to it. Dothraki, however... the word for morning was rather lovely.

"Aena," Jinora finally said, smiling proudly at the filly nudging at her. "I like Aena."

* * *

Whoo, second chapter is up! I have a little bit of a queue going so next chapter should promptly be up next week!

This chapter deals with the fact that Jinora is a noblewoman and you get a glimpse into her inherent mindset. Not necessarily one of a prisoner, but also not necessarily one of a totally willing participant either and I tried to make it really evident with the fact that Tsering is essentially threatening her with lies because she rejected him in the end of some would-be-almost courtship. Jinora is perfectly aware that, in her position, vicious lies (no matter how untrue) can be serious ammo against her _and_ her family.

It's not fair in either of her old and new situations and her conflicting feelings about that is something I tried to display.

As always, I really love it when you guys drop those reviews. They really keep me motivated and keep me writing! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	3. From Dawn Til Dusk

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 **From Dawn Til Dusk  
**

* * *

Jinora immediately began taking out Aena for casual rides whenever she could. Aena was about four years old and strong enough to begin taking weight, but Jinora still wanted to make sure that she was strong enough for riding and consistent riding at that. After all, they would be on the road for a lot of the time.

Out riding with Ikki and Aena, the silence between them was mildly uncomfortable and Jinora could easily tell that something was bothering her usually non-stop talkative younger sister.

"What's wrong?" asked Jinora

Looking up from her reins, Ikki shook her head quickly.

"Nothing," she said.

Jinora raised an eyebrow, amused.

"Nothing? You're never this quiet. Something's wrong. Go on. Tell me," urged Jinora.

Her shoulder slumping and her grip on the reins of her own horse slacking, Ikki frowned.

"It's nothing just... we're going to miss you is all. I'm going to miss you," said Ikki mournfully though she tried to smile. "I know it just has to be this way, but it didn't kind of hit me that your moving until today I guess..."

As if Aena knew they were having a moment, she slowed her walk as Jinora stared at Ikki with a sad smile.

"I know," said Jinora gently. "Even me... it's been so busy lately with all the marriage preparations. It's not like I'm dying though and you can see me anytime. I'll even stop by when the kalasar comes around this way. You'll see. And of course we'll write each other."

How many times had she had this conversation with people lately? Yet, mournfully, it hurt the most with her sister.

It's not like it wouldn't have happened anyway what with Ikki being betrothed to Huan of House Beifong after all for a long time. In a few years time it would have been her turn anyway...

"It's just really bittersweet is all..." said Ikki.

"Bittersweet?" inquired Jinora.

"I mean you leaving,"said Ikki. "Because you know I'm glad you made a good match, but it still means you have to leave."

Jinora smiled softly.

"Yeah... but here," she began. "You can have all of my summer gowns and robes. So every time you wear them you can think of me. All you have to do is tailor them and some of them you can probably just wait until you grow a little more. How's that sound? I'll give you some of my jewelry as well."

Ikki raised her eyebrows at her sister.

"Really?" asked Ikki, mouth agape slightly. "You know you don't have to."

"I know, but I want to. And even my old journals... I just want you to have some of my things. Time's going to go on and I want you to have my memory."

Ikki made a face, amused.

"I'm not going to forget you, you know."

"It just makes me feel better," said Jinora, smiling. "To know you'll have stuff to remember me when I'm not around... and for you to know I'm going to miss you too. All of you."

"Guess we're both feeling kind of bittersweet..."

"Don't worry... it's not a farewell. It's just till another day."

Later, Jinora would remember what she _wouldn't_ miss about Miao Cheng as her servants worked to prepare a bath for her. She waited until they all left before stripping out of her robes. As long as she lived here she would never feel safe with her own body. Tsering had thoroughly ruined that. Some days, it felt as if the walls had eyes and his spies would report to him so he could conjure up lewd fantasies. Fantasies he would use to ruin her name. It made her shudder and she dipped further into the water.

I don't want to leave, she thought numbly to herself. But I do want to leave.

She wanted to be rescued from this personal prison she had allowed to be erected around her, but also craved to hang on to what she called home. Yet, how could she have let such a nothing man perverse that which she called her own?

It was a simple as saying all men had a price. Thinking about it, it had crossed through her mind a million times that it was ridiculous how much she cared for the opinions of others. Was it even possible that his rumors would be taken as what they were? The lies of a spiteful sea urchin?

She didn't know.

And she was ashamed to say that she didn't _want_ to know.

This conflict wore on until her wedding day and even on her wedding day the back and forth reasoning hadn't ceased. But she also wondered why it was a conflict to begin with. She didn't exactly have too much of a decision. Or rather, she had already made her decision. She was going to marry Khal Kai and that was that.

There was no decision left to be made.

Her wedding gown was a bit of something that a Rluni noblewoman might wear to a wedding. Rluni wedding dresses usually required the most robes. Thin as they may be, they got heavy after you reached twelve layers. But Jinora's gown was blissfully only two thin layers of cloth. The reasoning of why that was should have made her squirm, but didn't. She'd been thinking of the fact that they would have to consummate the marriage for a while now.

She didn't exactly know how to feel about that. It wasn't like she was terribly excited, but she wasn't afraid either. Yet, she didn't feel exactly nothing.

This was her duty.

Yes.

This was her duty to her family and her people.

The wedding began at dawn. Jinora was woken up very early that morning before the sun had even risen. Servants tended feverishly to her, making sure that every detail was perfect. Her gown was a deep gold, layered over by a thinner blue robe and sheer layer of silk of the same color over those. She wouldn't need much jewelry. Just a necklace where a sky bison pendant hung to represent the sigil of her house.

Her attire was kept elegant, but light and Jinora was painfully aware why. Dothraki weddings lasted from sunrise to sunset. That, indeed, was something she was dreading just a little. An _all day_ event? Raava, help her.

But she dealt with it. At the very least, she and the khal would have time to talk and that wasn't exactly an unpleasant thought. She did actually care to know a bit more about him. Her opinion of him wasn't as cold as it'd been when they first met albeit it wasn't glaringly positive either. Him gifting Aena to her had been yet another enigmatic thing. Not long after he'd had Aena sent to her did Jinora remember that the new khaleesi's horse was to be presented at the wedding and, yet, he'd given Aena to her days earlier.

By the time the sun had begun crawling over the horizon, everything for the wedding was assembled. The ceremony and subsequent festivities were being held in a large field just outside of Miao Cheng. Rluni and Dothraki people joined them alike. It was evident to Jinora that their two peoples got along rather oddly. Of course, Jinora's people were known for their hospitality to those who had their favor. Different from the Dothraki in most ways, she supposed that their people did at least appreciate the relationship. Warriors on both sides tested each others metal in combat, appreciated each others steeds. Women mingled among each other as children played. Of course, most bonded over the uniting past time of drinking.

It was clear to Jinora that, of course, all were not harmonious. Her people – and herself included – were not terribly comfortable watching the blatant sexual displays. According to what she knew of Dothraki tradition, they were allowed to take the dancers freely. Here at their wedding, however, the dancers would move to the beat of the drums and the Dothraki men would grope them freely, clearly wanting more.

"We restrain ourselves around weddings of foreign people," said Kai in the common tongue, sitting beside her on their elevated dais. "We realize that it's not your way."

"Really?" asked Jinora, glad he'd finally said something after so long.

"I told them that... _athhilezar_ scares your lot," he said, grabbing the Dothraki word for sex when he apparently couldn't think of it in the common tongue.

Jinora looked sharply at him.

"Sex doesn't scare us."

Unflinching, he took a sip of his wine and Jinora somehow found that mildly irritating. She wanted him to look at her when she spoke with a bite. Then again, she shouldn't have been speaking with a bite anyway. They were married now after all.

She supposed... admitted... perhaps she wanted him to have some kind of impression of her. It felt uneven for her to be so curious about him and he didn't seem to let her so much as get under his skin.

It was a little infuriating, but it was also...

She resisted the urge to grunt.

She found it mildly... endearing. That was the only word she would admit to herself.

"It's not an open practice," he said, correcting himself.

"And it is with your lot?" she asked, trying to sound curious rather than affronted.

"You're very intelligent," he said in Dothraki now. "What do you believe?"

Taken aback, Jinora paused and earnestly thought about it for a moment, trying to gather what information she knew of the Dothraki's sexual practices. Of course, many of her sources were mainly talking about _southern_ kalasars. Not The North Kalasar, as many called it.

Taking a sip of her wine, she finally answered him.

"It doesn't exactly matter what I believe," she said. "I was asking a question."

He said nothing for a moment, observing a pair of Dothraki warriors who were fighting over the same woman apparently in a duel. The one who lost cut his braid off and retreated into the crowd, defeated and ashamed.

Jinora frowned.

"I thought you usually fought to the death in those situations? At weddings that is?"

Khal Kai glanced at her, a faint twitch of a smile on his lips.

"I'd rather they not. I happen to like some of these people," he said, apparently amused. She snorted defiantly.

"But I thought a wedding without at least a few deaths was considered, well, boring," she inquired, now actually very curious albeit slightly annoyed.

The khal, still not looking at her, let a slave girl fill his wine up.

"My grandfather said it best: If you put enough drink in them they're going to have a great time. I'd rather not lose an entire _khas_ over idiot squabbles." He brought his cup to his lips. "Sometimes, traditions are stupid."

Now, that she could agree with.

Besides, like he said, losing a platoon of men was an incredibly foolish thing to do at a wedding no matter how big your force was.

For a moment, she just watched him. For some begrudging reason she liked the way he nonchalantly sipped his drink. It was so ridiculous, but there was something entrancing about the way he lounged on his seat, yet, appeared so regal. Not in the pompous way of old and spoiled kings... but in a way like... like steel.

As steady as stone, cold as steel, but living as earth.

She supposed he wasn't exactly a king in the traditional sense. Dothraki leaders were very hands on from what she knew. They didn't sit on thrones they didn't earn and the scars on on his body lived up to that notion. Eying the the large jagged one on his bare chest and the smaller ones knicked on the muscles of his arm, she was doubly reassured of his apparent strength.

He was a _khal_ and, goddess, he certainly looked like it.

Realizing what path her mind had gone and how far much further down his body her eyes had traveled, Jinora immediately looked back up at the side of his face and took another sip of her own drink as well.

"Did your grandfather used to say that too?" she asked suddenly. "The bit about traditions I mean."

"He did," he said. "He wasn't a very traditional person and stopped allowing the dying at weddings thing. In his mind, why would you die over that when you can live to fuck another day? It made a lot of sense to people when put that way I suppose."

She nodded in acknowledgment. A crude way to put it, but it did indeed make a lot of sense. As they lapsed into silence, Jinora craved for one of them to say something else, but she didn't exactly know what to talk about. In earnest, she wanted to ask all kinds of questions swirling around in her head, but didn't want to give any wrong impressions.

She was curious. Intrigued. Interested.

Excited was not among or between any of those feelings.

She watched as a Rluni and a Dothraki warrior seemed to be discussing each others stallions. It made her think of her brand new filly.

"Why did you give me her so early?" she asked absently, looking out at the celebrating crowd where she could see her father speaking with one of Khal Kai's _dothrakiquoy_.

"What did you name her?" he asked in return quietly. "We do not give our horses names, but I know your people do."

He asks my question with a question, she thought somewhat exasperatedly. Of course.

"Aena... I named her Aena. She reminds me of the calm I feel when I look out of my balcony on a quiet morning. Especially the winter mornings. They're beautiful..." she replied and went on. "But you never answered my question. Why did you give her to me so early? Is it not custom to present her to me at the wedding?"

"It is," he said, stirring the cup with a rotating motion between his thumb and index finger. For the first time, he glanced sideways at her and flashed a small, but genuine smile. "But I wanted you to have something to talk about."

She let out a breath.

His smile was quite handsome. He should have done it more often.

Swallowing hard, she took another rather generous sip of her wine.

"Maybe I just haven't wanted to talk to you," she said, bringing back the bite in her tone.

"Untrue. You've asked almost all the questions."

"But you're the one who started talking to me."

"I made a statement. You kept asking questions," he said, now looking at her completely. He wasn't smiling anymore, but somehow he looked fairly smug without all that lip work.

She frowned at him and turned away resoundingly.

"I was just curious. We're married now after all."

"Very true. But you still keep talking."

"I thought you wanted me to have something to talk about."

"I never said it was a problem."

He had his elbows on the arm of his seat, leaning toward her in his lounging. Now, Jinora, watching him curiously, frowned and met his eyes. His deep green eyes that were such an enticing color and perplexity that the thought of looking away was disappointing. It wasn't just the color.

It was the _way_ those eyes looked at her.

She couldn't even explain it and she wasn't sure she'd ever be able to figure out how. Although as subtly as smug as he was right now, his eyes were filled with a certain question on top of it all.

Perhaps it was the drink talking, but she couldn't stop herself. She talked to him quietly. Just between the two of them.

"I want to know who you are," she told him.

He smiled with his eyes. She didn't know what he was thinking and by all of Raava's light that's all she wanted. Just a peak into-

They were swiftly interrupted by the presentation of the gifts. First, her husband's _dothrakiquoy_ presented her with the traditional three gifts of an arakh sword, a whip and a bow. As custom decreed, she turned them down with the traditional words and had them given to her husband instead.

"This is a gift worthy of a great warrior, O blood of my blood, and I am but a woman. Let my lord husband bear these in my stead."

The "but a woman" bit admittedly came out with some bitterness. While she understood where her sex stood in their culture and most places in the world in general– it wasn't as if her own was exactly spotless in that regard either – it still left a bad taste in her mouth to refer to herself so lowly. Why was it so hard to simply say that she was a lady? At least that sounded better.

She understood what was why, but it wasn't as if she wasn't allowed to be irritated with it.

Next, her parents gifted her books to take with her. Most of her favorite books were among them and Jinora thanked them in earnest, blinking away the threat of tears. There were numerous gifts from numerous people, most of which she appreciated. Gowns, slippers, sashes, weapons, fur pelts, belts and jewels inlaid in gold, expensive oils and brushes for her hair. The one gift she did not appreciate and immediately planned to throw out was Tsering's gift: a long neck chained silver necklace with multiple jewels embedded in it. It was a lavish gift indeed, she thought as he presented it to her and she resisted the urge to spit on him. Instead, she smiled and comforted herself with the fact that they could sell it for a fortune.

At this point in the ceremony, Khal Kai would have gifted her a horse worthy of her place beside him, but as he had already gifted her the filly, it was more herself presenting the gift her new husband had given her.

They ceremonially walked off the dais and Aena was brought forward so that everyone could see her. Already comfortable with the horse, Jinora settled herself on the thin Dothraki style saddle and easily nudged her into a gallop around the crowd. Truly, Aena was a gorgeous horse and a wonderful ride along with that. Horse and rider had bonded over the time they'd been introduced to each other and Jinora felt completely natural on Aena's back. She felt as if she were flying through the wind.

The crowd whooped and cheered and when Jinora finally came to a halt, she herself genuinely smiled at Khal Kai for the first time.

"I love her so much," she said in Dothraki, but switched to common tongue for her next choice of words. "Thank you."

As it was, there was no word for thank you in Dothraki.

Khal Kai nodded and flashed her another small smile.

Noting his pleasure at her own, she realized at how the sun was going down. She glanced over the crowd. At her parents, her friends, all the familiar and stranger faces... everyone was looking at her. As Khal Kai brought his own stallion forward – a deep brown horse with a black mane – and mounted him, Jinora realized that the wedding was just about over.

And the wedding being over meant that the marriage had to be consummated.

Involuntarily, she glanced at Khal Kai and her eyes went straight to his torso, but she forced herself back, not wanting an entire crowd of people to see her doing that.

All the hells, she thought in realization and unable to quit thinking about his chest and all the mystery... below that. I'm going to have sex with that.

The thought hadn't hit her in true form until right at this moment. She had known, acknowledged and accepted the fact that the man who she was currently riding off with at the moment was going to have to consummate their new marriage with her.

But it hadn't exactly _hit_ her that Khal Kai was going to be inside of her until just now.

She wasn't sure _what_ she thought of that. It was more of a nervous feeling than anything... but it wasn't exactly a bad feeling. Now, she cursed herself. There were nerves, but she couldn't deny that there was also a lot of anticipation. She didn't want to feel anticipation. She didn't want to feel anything.

But she couldn't stop thinking about his eyes. And his body. And his smile.

She couldn't stop thinking about it as they rode away from the wedding site. They rode on and on and after a while Jinora had no idea how long they'd been riding, but by the time they stopped, the sun had just about gone down and the full moon was already well on the rise.

He got off his horse, then helped her off hers when she didn't seem like she knew how to dismount. The horses were tied nearby where they could have access to a watering hole as the khal settled her near a large bolder grounded in the earth. She actually was very grateful for it, the boulder acting as a kind of comfort to her privacy.

There was no need for a fire in a warm summer night like this and the khal came face to face with her finally. With the moon bright she could easily see his unreadable face and certainly the green of his eyes. All the hells, she just couldn't look away from his eyes.

From a distance, she'd observed him. Now, up close she could feel the heat of his body, emanating a strength she could hardly deny in the moment. She liked the way he stood at her, face to face with no fear.

She didn't scare him. He was just so unflinched by her. So unfazed by her bite and completely unoffended by it. Yet, he didn't brush her off like a stray breeze of nothing. If anything... it was like he was sizing her up.

He didn't let her take control, but... he didn't break her own control either.

It was an indescribable anticipation as he tilted his head and reached for her hair. He took his time, running his hands through generous dark brown hair. In kind, Jinora reached out to touch him for the first time. She laid a hand on his chest, feeling hard muscle beneath her fingers. Gingerly, she traced the warmth of him down his torso, but wouldn't go farther than his belly button and took her hand away.

He continued to explore her, but their eyes never left each other. For Jinora, it was as if holding his gaze for this long was too much and she swore she was almost breathless from it.

What was he thinking?

She couldn't tell. She didn't know. It was maddening and, yet, so exhilarating to be at his mercy in such a way. He kept her in the dark, but invited her to come get more at the same time. All with such minimal effort that she couldn't keep away from it.

She defied this strange sensation. Pretended that it wasn't something that had been on her mind since she had met him, but the fact of the matter was... he was something she _had_ to explore.

There was a wordless expectation – an ungodly anticipation – that he was going to be everything she hadn't known she wanted.

Even now, it was only him that interrupted all of her.

"Earlier you said something to me," he told her quietly in Dothraki and she realized that he'd stepped closer, her hands coming up, but not all the way as if afraid to touch him again. His own hands had been in her hair, but were now sliding down her arms to her elbows and urging her hands just forward enough so she was resting her palms on him.

"Yes..." she breathed out, still looking him in the eyes. Oh, Raava... she was not afraid of him at all. She swallowed hard, knowing the comment he was talking about. "I did."

His hands were coming back up her arms now and sliding back on her shoulders.

He brought his face down closer, his eyes boring into hers.

"Do you still want to know who I am?"

Up until now, Jinora had never been with a man. There was indeed a fear. A fear that it would hurt. That she wouldn't enjoy it. She'd heard that a woman's first time tended to be her worst...

But when he spoke to her he spoke to her in _challenge_. The roll of his voice in his own tongue pushed fear second to the sheer hungry anticipation rushed into her from suddenly being so close to him.

Even now, she could only nod definitively.

Because hells she really did want to know.

* * *

The extended smut version of this chapter is available on my tumblr under "Art and Fics" then "My Fics"

A lot of their dynamic right now is them sizing each other up. 'What am I to make of you?' is a good question they have between each other right now. Especially on Jinora's side. And Kai enjoys watching her ask herself that about him.

As always, guys I really love it when you leave those reviews! They really keep me motivated and keep me writing! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


	4. A New Life

This fic is also on my tumblr blog where my username is Kuno-chan and my blog name is Dragoness Ramblings.

Disclaimer: Legend of Korra belongs to Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko

* * *

 **A New Life  
**

* * *

The first thing Jinora did the next morning was groan.

She was so sore and just sore _everywhere_. Goddess, the only thing that seemed like a good idea right then was just to lay there and she would have if not for her husband's absence. Forcing herself to sit up, she could see him sitting at the edge of the watering hole braiding his hair. Somehow managing to stand up, she wrapped the robe around her and walked over to him.

He didn't look up when she did and Jinora wondered if she should nudge him with a leg to let him know she was there.

"We're going to leave soon," he told her, fastening the last band on his braid. He gestured to the watering hole. "You should get cleaned up."

She frowned.

Is that all he had to say to her?

"So soon?" she asked, knowing what would come next when they got back Miao Cheng.

She didn't want to say goodbye to her family. She didn't know if she was ready for that... the very thought made tears prick at the corners of her eyes and she turned away, laying the robes aside and just got into the water hurriedly. Shivering, she tried to ignore it since it was only making her feel worse, but a tear rolled down her cheek and she splashed her face with the cold water.

After she was clean and dried, she put on a lighter robe instead of what she wore for her wedding. They did everything in silence and Jinora wondered if he was just tired, perfectly fine or something else. She wished he'd talk to her.

"Will we be leaving soon?" she asked as she mounted Aena.

" _Sek_ ," he said and her heart dropped. "The summer months are ending. We must get back to Vaes Najahheya before the cold sets in."

Jinora understood and nodded. As saddened as she was, she knew that the horde was only on the road in the spring and summer before they returned to their cities just west. She'd known that the day would be rapidly approaching, but that didn't mean she wanted it to come.

Leaving home for foreign lands... nobody ever told you how hard it was. How hard it was to leave everything you grew up on and make a home somewhere anew. It was like leaving a piece of yourself behind almost.

What would happen to her now?

-:-:-:-

The day for the khalasar to leave Miao Cheng came soon after. It took all of her strength not to cry outright as she hugged her parents, her sister, her brothers, her friends...

They all stood outside of the courtyard gates, bidding their farewells. Her mother openly wept while everyone else were only containing the glistening of their eyes. When would be the next time she saw them? Would it be years from now? Would it be when one of them was dead...? Would she even be _allowed_ to see them anymore?

Mounting onto Aena and ripping her eyes away from her one last look at her family and her home had to be the hardest thing she'd ever had to do. Turning away, her tears finally fell from her eyes and she quickly wiped them away, trying to contain her sniffling. Concerning her husband, Kai had been very quiet. He always was it seemed, but aside from exchanging respectful farewells he hadn't said a word. She tried to silence herself as best as possible, not wanting him to hear or see her cry as she rode just behind him. After they'd ridden a few miles outside of Miao Cheng's gates, she noticed him just briefly glancing back at her.

"You will see them again," he said in Dothraki.

"... _sek_?" she asked, trying to stifle the hope in her tone.

Though he'd turned away, she could see him nod...

She had no idea what to make of her new husband. He had been much more talkative the day before and last night had been the best sex she had ever had – it was the only sex she had ever had, but it was still very good – yet, today it was as if they were right back to the day they had met.

She may have shared a common language with him and his people, but that still didn't mean that she didn't feel alone.

No matter, she thought, steeling herself as she always did. I'll just mind my own business.

She wanted a friend, but that didn't mean she _needed_ one she supposed. Apart of her back and forth fear was the fact that she worried about what the Dothraki people here thought of her. Did they see a khaleesi or did they see an _ifaki?_ Did they, in fact, see only a foreigner? "One who walks" as they called it? For the Dothraki who generally based their lives around their horses – even their deity was a horse: The Great Stallion – walking was a shame, an insult and an all together indication of unworthiness. If you did not ride then you were of no importance... was she considered such...?

Of course, Jinora rode a fine filly who was strong, would grow into a beautiful, strong mare and her riding skills were fair if she said so herself. Living on the lush Soaring Plains, her own people were native horsemen as well. Perhaps not as intensely as the Dothraki, but it had been a common entity between their two peoples for many years now. Both the Rluni and the Dothraki had a certain understanding of horses that others might not. Granted, the Rluni were generally very respectful to most animals and tended to be a more pacifistic when left to their own devices while the Dothraki lived warfare as a lifestyle.

Of course, these days the Rluni were far more than willing to take to blood as well if it meant defending themselves ever since the Fire Nation's war had rampaged through their lands long ago. They would never be the victims of a genocide again and she had always gotten the impression that the North Khalasar respected their reputation of such vehement resistance.

These thoughts occupied Jinora's mind and the day wore on as they continued southwest from Miao Cheng. They would travel southwest there and then begin heading north to Vaes Najaheya instead of just going straight west. Apparently, they would be making detours. Meanwhile, Jinora allowed herself to fall behind from Kai, not particularly liking how she was feeling about him currently though she wasn't sure if that had to do with the aftermath of their consummation or not. Then again, she also appreciated him letting her know that it was just fine for her to see her family. At least, that's what she took it as and she wondered if he knew what he was doing with this arranged marriage thing as much as she did.

By herself she rode, despite being in a crowd of people. Riding was not a problem. Riding for so long without anybody to really talk to was a problem.

It was _boring_.

The only people who talked to her were handmaidens who wanted to know if she required a drink of water every now and again, but they made no real effort to hold a conversation with her and Jinora didn't know if they wanted to nor would she try to impose.

As if some god out there heard her growing despondency, a stocky man with swept back dark hair parted parted in the middle came riding up near her. Over his eyes he wore a metal frame with glass in the round sockets that Jinora could only vaguely remember learning about... spectacles, weren't they called? Jinora smiled tentatively when he beamed at her.

"M'atchamaroon zhey khaleesi," he said, greeting her. "Are you well?"

"I am," she said in Dothraki, but switched to the common tongue tentatively. "Thank you...?"

The man nodded.

"I speak the common tongue," he said, switching languages. "I'm just used to speaking Dothraki around here now. I'm Otaku by the way. It's an honor."

"Otaku," she repeated, nodding. "Hello. Or, well, M'atchamaroon to be more exact."

Otaku smiled.

"I hope you don't mind me coming over. You looked kind of lonely."

"Thank you. I'm alright... it's just all kind of new," she said, looking up at the sky a little. "All of this... new lifestyle I suppose is the best way to say it."

He smiled and nodded, understanding.

"It can be a little intimidating, but you're doing admirably."

Jinora chuckled.

"Thank you. Again... may I ask...?" she began, looking pointedly at his face.

Otaku laughed.

"They're spectacles. To help with my eyesight. I get them made in the trader cities far west. They're a bit odd looking I know, but they work out really well."

"Spectacles..." she repeated. "I think I've heard of those actually."

"They're not common, but they're incredibly useful."

"I'm glad," she said. "Erm, Otaku... was it? You... don't exactly look Dothraki... where are you from?"

"Well, I'm Tunese," he said, smiling wryly. "Yeah, I'm from the south, but I managed to stumble my way up into these parts."

"How did you come upon the kalasar though? To ride with them I mean?" she asked.

"This." Otaku reached to his side and clutched his sword hilt. "I saved a group of young ones who strayed too far from the kalasar. They were almost picked up by sellswords. Turned out that one of the children had a bloodrider for a father and they welcomed me to travel along if I wanted to. I had nowhere to go so I said why not? Besides, I love encountering new cultures."

"That's amazing," said Jinora genuinely. "It was a really great deed for you to save those children."

Otaku smiled bashfully though he tried to shrug.

"It just... seemed like the right thing to do. Common sense thing to do. They also let me come along when they witnessed me fighting and realized I was a warrior. Guess it was a matter of me gaining some of their respect."

"And you deserved it for what you did," she said, nodding. "How long have you bee traveling with the horde?"

"Several months," he said. "Since spring I believe. So, I've had a chance to learn the language and get used to their way of life."

Jinora blinked.

"You learned the language in only a few months?"

"I'm a fast learner," chuckled Otaku. "And you pick it up even faster when you're around the people daily. I must say it's been an experience. Though it is nice that the khal apparently reads. I always need to remind myself that this khalasar is different than the ones in the south."

"...he reads?" she asked tentatively, as if she should have been embarrassed for asking, but she was genuinely curious. Most Dothraki weren't literate evenif her grandfather had helped them develop an actual form of writing alongside Khal Rukko.

"Oh, yes. Well, not a lot," said Otaku. "But if he sees something he might pick it up. He likes to read about past wars for an obvious, but he doesn't mind a few odd tales here and there though I'll admit that majority of what he picks up usually serves a purpose to him. I don't think the Dothraki see reading as very important. As far as I know only the people at the palace know how."

"That's... interesting," she said, frowning slightly. "I just... I _know_ that his grandfather helped develop a writing system. My grandfather was apart of it, but... it just kind of never struck me I suppose. Never thought they might care about it."

Otaku pursed his lips.

"Thought it would just become forgotten in a generation or so?"

Hesitantly, Jinora nodded.

"I can see why people would think that, but this kalasar is... very different. Very different indeed. More than once they have betrayed my expectations, but I think that would be the current khal's grandfather's doing. Khal Rukko was a striking man I hear. A revolutionary man. I actually gifted the Khal Kai an excellent book written about him for which he was very grateful."

Her curiosity peaked, Jinora tilted her head. She had heard about Khal Rukko. Everyone knew about Khal Rukko. Rukko, The Dragon Slayer. Rukko The Dragon Slayer who went into the lair of said dragon and killed it in it's own said lair. In light, he was probably one of the most fearsome khals who had ever lived.

"My father told me a little about him," she said. "But not a lot. All I know is that he died when I was younger and my father got on with him rather well. Nothing substantial however."

"Well, as for myself, I only know what's written and what most people know, but I do know that Khal Kai was rather close to him. Perhaps it would be a subject to talk about if you asked him?"

Otaku gave her a shy knowing look and then it was Jinora's turn to chuckle.

"Is it truly that obvious?"

"That you two don't know what to talk about? You don't even need to be in front of me for me to know that. I'm not sure he knows what to talk about either or if he even finds it necessary, but perhaps it will make you feel better? Add another bridge between you two besides just having been wed?"

Jinora smiled at Otaku. She didn't know why he was helping her attempt to get on better with Kai, but she was glad for the suggestion. It wasn't like she _required_ his approval of her or anything, but they _were_ married after all. More speaking, even if it was just polite conversation, was more comfortable than none.

Besides, she was still very curious about her new husband and all of his engima. She still knew very little about him.

"Thank you, Otaku. I appreciate that. I will ask him later tonight about those things," she said. "It's not much, but it's something."

Otaku beamed again though it faltered into something softer.

"I know what it's like to feel a bit out of place," he said, adjusting his glasses. "So, I'm glad to help in that dilemma."

It was a slightly sad dilemma indeed. She wanted to know more about her new husband, but she wasn't sure if he earnestly cared to know more about her.

-:-:-:-

"Do you have any family?" asked Jinora.

They lay beside each other, the sweat cooling off their bodies in the night. She had felt Kai's hands pawing at her and, remembering their wedding night, leaned into his pawing. No words were exchanged, but the next thing she knew she was panting into her pillow as she was being taken from behind in traditional Dothraki manner.

When they were done, they rolled onto their backs and Jinora could feel that neither of them were asleep even a little while after. It was a strange silence, laying bare and being comfortable enough to be next to each other just like this.

She turned her head just slightly to see if he was looking at her and, as if he could feel her moving, he glanced at her as well. He turned back to stare at the ceiling of their large tent.

"My cousin."

"Have I met him?"

He nodded, grunting.

"Varrako. He's _qoy qoyi_."

Blood of my blood? Jinora thought back on the rider that had brought Aena to her. The same bloodrider who she couldn't help, but keep noting that he looked related to Kai...

"He's one of your bloodriders?" she asked curiously, remembering a man about Kai's height with brown eyes and dark, thick hair in a braid that went down his back. His wasn't as long as his cousin's, but she figured that must have been Varrako. He was a leaner man than Kai, but there was something in the bone structure that Jinora recognized. "The one that brought me Aena."

Kai nodded.

"That is him."

"Oh..." she said, a little loss for words now that her one topic hadn't gone anywhere. She was actually a little nervous to ask about his grandfather. What if he didn't want to talk about it? What if they _weren't_ close and Otaku had it all wrong? Or what if he just didn't feel like taking about him with her? Or talking with her at all?

Feeling a little bit lonely like she did earlier that day, she laid her head back down and didn't say anything else. She fell asleep wondering disdainfully where Tsering was among the kalasar and what exactly was he doing that she hadn't seen him. Not that she wanted to see him, but him lurking around made her wary.

Needless to say, her sleep was restless.

The next day, Jinora found herself talking to Otaku once more. Apparently, he too was an avid reader and they spent much of the day discussing novels of their past. Later, as they stopped to rest the horses, she looked around. It wasn't as if she had never traveled before so she didn't know what to expect when her eyes rested on miles upon miles of lush green grass. The color would be dying away as the summer was, she remembered, and the cold would set in. Of course... that was why they were heading to the palace in Vaes Najahheya.

Her new home.

The thought made her wrists and ankles feel heavy with imagined iron. Just the very thought. It wasn't as if her husband talked much. They had a common language, but his _body_ language was clear.

They were attracted to each other, but he didn't find _her_ very interesting. Annoyingly, Jinora had never found herself so down before over someone else's view of her. Perhaps it was because he wasn't just anybody. Perhaps it was because he was now her new spouse with whom she would have to spend the rest of her life with.

Perhaps it was her _pride_.

Most people liked talking to her. Men that was. Enjoyed spilling what they had to say in droves that she could barely humor but, here she was, not even being humored herself now. Thinking about it made her cheeks burn and her mouth slip into a frown.

What _was_ it with this man?

What did you have to do to pull a few more words out of him?

Or was she going to have to _fuck_ him every time she wanted him to talk to her?

Now thoroughly annoyed, the whole thing made her roll her eyes and snort. Maybe her new husband was just full of himself. Maybe he was just a prick and there wasn't much more to him than that.

Still– and most conflictingly – she _wondered_ about him.

She remembered the _want_.

That _need_ he had pulled out of her.

She growled a little to herself.

Maybe he was just a very interesting asshole.

"Khaleesi?"

It took Jinora a moment to turn around and respond to that, forgetting the fact that she was indeed the khaleesi of this horde now. The bloodrider who looked like he was related to the khal – Varrako she guessed now – had dismounted and was leading his horse by the reins when he had apparently stopped to observe her.

"Ah, _sek_?" she asked, trying not to feel so small. She was the khaleesi. She didn't have to be afraid.

Not that she was afraid of anybody.

"Are you well, Khaleesi?"

"I am..." she said, nodding. She tilted her head uncertainly. "...Varrako?"

She relaxed slightly when he smiled.

"Yes, Khaleesi," he said, nodding his head. "I am Varrako. Kai, er... the khal has told you about me, _sek_?"

Jinora nodded.

"May I ask what he has said?" he asked with a small, inviting grin. "I am simply curious as to what my cousin has to tell others about me."

She smiled back a little, trying to share in his mirth.

"Nothing much as of yet. He just told me who you are."

"Ah, I see," he said, as if taking in the information and scratched the light patch of hair at the base of his chin. His horse seemed to want to go off now, probably to find some water. "It seems that I have duties elsewhere. Khaleesi."

As quickly as he had come, Varrako nodded his head respectfully at her, smiling wide, and walked away with his impatient stallion. Jinora looked after him, trying to consider what odd moment had just passed. It wasn't exactly an unpleasant one. At least he seemed friendly.

-:-:-:-

"Hm..."

Varrako sauntered over, messing with a knotted piece of rope in his hands. The picture made Kai frown, knowing that his cousin clearly had something else in mind from the way he was fiddling with the rope so casually.

Running his fingers through his stallion's mane, Kai snorted.

"Just spit it out," he grunted.

"You told your wife about me?" asked Varrako.

Kai raised an eyebrow, then went back to scanning the landscape.

"She asked."

Varrako nodded, an exaggerated frown on his lips.

"Did she ask anything else?" he asked slowly.

Kai sighed.

 _"Vos,_ Varrako _._ What are you gett-"

"You don't talk to your wife," laughed Vakarro. "You have been married for two days already and she knows that I am your cousin. Impressive."

Kai rolled his eyes.

"You made my point for me. We've only been married for two days."

"And you just made _my_ point. Should she not know a little more by now?" asked Varrako, raising his eyebrows. "And should you not use your words?"

Glancing back briefly, Kai hissed a little bit, but Varrako only shook his head.

"What is it? What could be the matter? _Me zheanae. Chiori zheanae_ " he asked, reaching out to clap Kai on the shoulder. "And she is yours! Make it a good start. I just do not see the problem."

Kai grunted.

Yes, as Varrako had said, his new wife was a beautiful woman. Very beautiful, but...

"She is arrogant," he said shortly.

"And you're not?" Varrako snorted right back. "Besides, you seem to be perfectly fine bedding her. Then again, that could be why you are so keen to. Not that it takes very much convincing with you..."

Kai ignored that last bit.

"Because she is also fine with it. Otherwise, she doesn't seem to feel like talking to me."

Varrako raised his eyebrows. Kai shook his head at him.

"It is known."

"It is an excuse." A slow grin spread across Varrako's lips. "You do not know what to do with her. She allows you to bed her, but you do not know how else to approach her. That's it, isn't it?"

"I don't want to hear about her opinions that our people are savages. You know how... people not us are. I won't hear it. "

Varrako shook his head at Kai now.

"You are afraid."

Kai glared at him and Varrako only snorted again.

"Okay, you are not afraid, but you are unsure... and you are _testing_ her," said Varrko, seemingly having finally realized what may be going through his cousin's head.

At that, Kai finally smiled a little.

"As she is with me."

Varrako didn't see the way she looked at him. When she looked at him, he could see so much running behind her eyes. As the khal, he would do well to see whether he was sleeping with a snake or not. He had met this woman barely several weeks ago.

He did not know her.

They had wed, but that did not mean he knew her.

He knew her less than the slaves who erected their tent after the day was done.

It wasn't as if he didn't have enemies. It wasn't as if no king had never had their throat slit by their newlywed bride. Such a thing happened all the time and even his own grandfather confessed it had nearly happened once when he had first become khal with a woman he had bedded.

Kai did not feel like being among them.

He was very unsure about her, but fear was not apart of that uncertainty. If anything, he was _amused_. She wanted to test him, but it was like she didn't know how. So, he waited.

"The viper, the hare and the lion," his grandfather used to begin a tale. "You are a stallion. The viper can strike at your heel and then you are dead. The hare is harmless, but it can give you nothing. The lion can be an enemy, a friend or neither. The lion is of it's own. It can kill you if it wants, but it may not for it's own reasons. Reasons that you may or may not like and it may or may not care how you feel about it. Kill the viper, ignore the hare, respect the lion. That is a how a king survives."

Now, the question remained.

Was his khaleesi a snake, a hare or a lion?

* * *

This chapter introduced a couple people, first meeting Varrako! Kai's cousin and bloodrider. You will be seeing more of him from here on out and Otaku makes it into this story as well! Here, Otaku is more modeled on his B4 appearance where it really helps with him being in a warrior role and you will also be seeing more of him.

Kai and Jinora here are at odds, but not at odds at all. They're not one hundred percent sure what to make of the other for different reasons. Jinora wants to know what kind of man Kai truly is and Kai wants to make sure his new wife doesn't have plans to kill him in his sleep. They met only a few weeks ago and, in perfect honesty, they don't really trust each other yet. In a way, they do, but not fully. It's an awkward and wary position to be in for them both.

As always, I love it when you guys drop those reviews! They really keep me writing and keep me motivated to write faster! Thank you for reading! Tune in for next chapter!


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